This is my first year at this and have some questions

[frezel]

Does anyone know where i can examples of estimates to give to people for lawn service and anything else they need

I also bought a new 2004 chevy 25oo hd crew cab 8 ft bed truck and was wondering before i go buy a mower should i consider using the bed of the truck for the mowers ro buy a trailer? so far im only a one man operation and have about 15 clients even before buying a mower.


I am going to buy a new scag mower? any opnions on the best mower to buy
i was going to buy echo for the blower and edger.

also whats the difference between landscaping and lawnscaping when it comes to advertisment I want to be able to do everything and have a delema on how to letter the truck? lawnscape or landscape.

Any suggestion or words of advise to help me get started on my way to financial freedom lol?

im tired of working for the man so this is why i am getting into this and the love of outdoors and plants and grass...

thanks for your time and words or anything to help me on my way would be great if i think of more question im sure ill write

[Elwood]

If you really want to be "free from the man", know how to operate this as a business. Learn about what it costs for you to operate, how to price your jobs, and always be willing to learn better ways of doing things.

Efficiency is your new best friend. The more efficient you are at anything and everything you do, the more profit you will generate.



As far as the truck goes, it sounds like a nice rig, but I would not want to stare that payment in the eye when you are starting out in the green biz. Good Luck keeping it clean!

For saftely's sake, buy a trailer for your equipment.

As for "lawnscapes" or "landscapes", you need a business plan. This will guide you. It will also tell you how to name your company. You can't be everything to everyone unless you use a few sub-contractors along the way at first. Offering full service is great, but remember lawn care and landscaping should be treated as two different animals. Offering both is great, but few can make both a great success. Usually one can either feed off of or drain the other if you are not careful.

When purchasing equipment, a good dealer is half the purchase price in my opinion. If you have problems, you need a dealer that will get you going quick by either servicing you quickly or having parts on the shelf or one that will give you a loaner to use if yours is down.

When considering a brand of mower, you need a good combination of these three things. 1. Dealer 2. quality of cut 3.quality of build

Good Luck and stick around!

[Phil Nilsson]

"Any suggestion or words of advise to help me get started on my way to financial freedom lol?"

Delegate ASAP ... look to Hispanic workers as your source of labor, focus on sales and mgmt not doing the work yourself ... cash flow is the name of the game ... look to service type "B" accounts ... that's where the profits really are, and that's where you'll sell large amounts of other peoples time. Stay away from highly "micro managed" work and get into the subcontracting game ASAP ... own the work, lock in profits, lock out the investment in equip.

There, that should keep you busy for awhile.

Phil

[PTLlandscapingIL]

sounds liek your in good shape,I would get a "business goal" liek this year ur startign out, u need a mower get it and you got 15 clients thats a real good start i owuld hold off onthe trailer make some money first what size scag you looking at cause that will cost you $3000 plus you have a really decent truck very nice is it 4x4? if so throow a plow on by next winter make that ur next goal. echo isnt thta great look at getting Stihl, very good product or shiwandia or red max but echo isnt that great

[Stephan Schwebke]

frezel

Stihl ... good. RedMax ... even better. Although you can't go wrong with any commercial grade equipment (not always the case, do your reasearch, ask and observe what others are using) as long as you have great dealer support who will be there and stand behind you when you need the service you'll be all set. I just jumped into this business when I was finishing high school last year. Me being young and ignorant in the dealings of the everday business world, my first dealer noticed this and didn't really treat me right. After moving across town I found a closer dealer who also treats me right, damn near like a king.

For example, I recently purchased a '01 used Walker with 1,400 hrs. They serviced the machine over and sold it to me. When I took it home the starter wouldn't crank the engine over the first try. Usually it would take a min. to start. "O CRAP!" I yelled. So I took it back in to the dealer the next day. There were also a few other minor things that also needed a closer look at; they said, "no problem." Two days later the owner of the dealer personally called me to say, "Stephan, your Walker's ready to pick up, we got you all taken care of." When I entered the shop I thanked him, telling I appreciated the quick and thorough service, shook his hand and took the machine home. I looked at the shiny new starter element after appreciating the beautiful sound of an effortless starting engine, which no longer sounded like a dying farm animal.

Bottom line get the highest grade commercial equimpent you can afford. It's an expensive investment I agree, but investments DO payoff over time. Most importantly check out ALL of the dealers in your area, with you having more life experience than I, obviously you'll hopefully be able to have the eye for the reputable dealer with honesty and integrity.

I agree w/ Ellwood wholeheartedly; Yes get a trailer definately. I've got a 12' single axle, wood floor, 3" tubular steel frame, 4' gate, BullDog hitch takes a 2" ball, shiny fenders, the baby looks nice. It's dependable. Paid $1,000 for it new. It's a PJ.

God bless and have a lucrative and enjoyable season outdoors!

Steve, Smart Lawn Care

P.S. I ENVY your new shiny 2500 w/ 8' bed, sounds like a sweet ride!! I'm lookin' at a '97 Sierra 1500 shortbed (family owned) which I'll hopefully be able to snatch up by the end of the year!

[floridalawncare]

well you will need a trailer. get one larger than you need cause you'll want to step up in equipment in the future. i started with a 5x8, and it lasted no longer than 6 months. scag and echo are good choices. that's all i buy now. echo's carbs are a pain, but it's cause of epa's new pollution regulations. i asked the local redmax dealer here, and he says some of the newer models they have are doing the same thing now. he says it's cause they use such a small main jet now and it gets clogged easy. but it's not redmax's or echo's fault. the carbs are mabe by walbro i think. i'm one of the few that started with insurance. reason is cause most commercial work is only available if you have liability. so insurance can be part of your investment outside of just protection. lot of stuff to consider. but good luck, and let me know if i can help!

[Woody]

Floridalawncare:

I don't know what your dealer is talking about. My RedMax equipment is mixed, with some earlier style (mixture adjustable), and newer style StratoCharged. I can tell you from FIRSTHAND experience that I have NEVER had an issue with ANY of my RedMax equipment. I personally believe that your local dealer is blowing smoke up your ass. Look around on this board and you won't see many problems with RedMax equipment, except maybe 1Chavez having a problem with a fuel cap (we'll see later this spring on that one). But, take a look at people complaining about Echo equipment being downright unusable. People who bought Echo equipment before and were quite happy with it, and now swearing they will never buy another piece again.

RedMax, with their Strato-Charged engines, have taken a totally different approach to emissions compliance. The carburetors used on Strato-Charged equipment are very unique. There are two paths through the carburetor. One where fuel is mixed with the air, and another where air only passes.

Suffice it to say, just because your local dealer claims something does not make it true. The claim that the main jet is smaller, and it clogs easier, is pure tripe. If that were the case, a better fuel filtration system would certainly be the cure. Once again, your dealer is blowing smoke. Look around here and you will find, from the people who ACTUALLY USE RedMax equipment, that they are some of the most durable, reliable, and easy starting pieces out there.

Woody
A man who RUNS RedMax equipment.